Chapter 10: Epilogue

It seemed everyone was up for a nice round of ales at the Green Dragon. There, beside a roaring fire, Rosie and her father met the rest of their family in a series of warm embraces. The story of that afternoon soon spread like wildfire, growing with exaggeration and spirit until, by the end of the night, Frodo overheard someone exclaiming how the Cottons' house was overtaken by an entire band of Ruffians.

The tales were so outlandish and so variable that they were soon attributed to gossip. In all forms of the tale, Frodo was glad to hear the names of the children were left out and their true sentence hidden so, if word were ever to reach Bree, their security would not be threatened. Be that as it may, Paladin Took drafted posters with their faces and the words "enemies of the Shire," which he gave to all the sheriffs in an effort to see Fern and Flint's exile enforced.

Not wanting to disappoint his father, Pippin was the first to speak of leaving the Green Dragon, but Frodo insisted he and Merry stay the night. Mr. Cotton gladly offered to host them and Sam offered the room he was staying in, claiming a night on the couch would be an improvement from sleeping outdoors as he had many nights on his journey. So it was settled: they would all stay the night in the Cotton's cozy burrow until daybreak.

In the morning, Frodo was the last to rise. He found the others already seated for breakfast. Due to their numbers, two tables were filled. Frodo joined his friends in the front parlor while the Cotton family (with the exception of Rosie, who sat at Sam's side) dinned in the usual dinning room.

Merry greeted him with a smile. "Morning, cousin! You never told us Mrs. Cotton could cook so well. No wonder you asked Sandyman to help with Bag End. The greater mess he makes of things, the longer you get to enjoy these fine roasted mushrooms. Which, I might venture to say, are even better than yours."

Frodo knew the words were in jest, but he felt Sandyman needed defending. If his plan were to work, the hobbits had to accept Sandyman. If his closest friends wouldn't, there was no hope the rest of the town would. He shook his head and sank into a chair beside his cousin. "It was not sabotage, Merry, that drove me to offer him the job, but hope. Hope of things going back to the way they once were. Or at least, as close as we can get." He turned to the others with a subtle smile. "But Merry's right, Mrs. Cotton's roasted mushrooms are better than mine."

The others returned his smile and they ate together well into the morning in proper hobbit style. After a while, when the talk died down and the plates emptied, Sam said, "I've been thinking. I've got just about a dozen seeds left. It seems a shame to waste them, but I'm through runnin' all over the Shire. So last night, I started wonderin' if there was a place I could spread them. On top of a hill, somewhere, or by a river that might carry them all over the Shire with out me having to follow. And then I thought, why not the Three Farthing Stone?"

Frodo gave him a nod of approval. "That's a brilliant idea, Sam."

"Indeed!" Merry agreed. "Pippin and I are heading that way anyway. If you want, we can accompany you there."

"I can accompany you as well, if you'd like," said Frodo. "I could use the fresh air. And it would give us some time to catch up."

Sam turned to Rosie but she shook her head. "You lads go and have fun. I've got work to do. Besides, Ma's frantic about yesterday. She hardly lets me walk into the next room without her. I don't think she'd let me ride halfway across the Shire any time soon."

"I know the feeling." Pippin sighed. He thought about his father and all that had transpired between them. They still had their differences and, Pippin supposed, they always would, but at least they seemed to understand each other better now. And he was no longer dreading to go home. "It's just because she loves you."

"I know." Rosie rose to clear the table with a smile. "Take care. Ride safe! And do come visit when you can! You're always welcome, all four of you."

Merry bowed. "You're too kind, Rose Cotton. Thank you again for your hospitality. And looking after Frodo, here. We know what a burden that must be."

"Excuse me, but I'm standing right here."

"You know it's true, dear cousin." Merry grinned. "A burden and a delight. Don't think I've forgotten the time I helped you clear out Bag End, after Bilbo left. Somehow all the difficult tasks found their way to me."

"Only because you chose them," Frodo insisted.

"It was the same way when we helped him move, wasn't it Sam?" Pippin chimed in. "Frodo left all the heavy stuff to us."

"Now that's just not true and you know it." Frodo tried to keep from smiling at the old familiar banter. "While I'll agree Sam's bags were heaviest—though I didn't realize it until we'd left or I'd have had him lighten it—yours was filled mostly with food to point where, when we arrived at Crickhollow, I doubt you were carrying much more than air!"

Pippin's protests were drowned by laughter. They finished their meals in merriment, joking about old times or trading stories about recent improvements. When at last they were full, they readied themselves and set out for Bywater.

The journey was slow but pleasant. The sun had come up, warming the world to a mild comfort. They trotted along on their ponies, often in a peaceful silence broken now and again by a song or tale.

"Well, this seems just like old times!" said Pippin after a particularly long moment of silence. "The four of us, off on an adventure!"

Frodo smiled. "Indeed! But I've had quite enough of adventures, I think."

"Of the bad kind, I agree," Merry said. "But have hope, cousin, that there are only good ones from here! Pippin and I shall return for Sam's wedding in May, and you shall have to find some excuse to come visit us in the summer! It'll be your turn to get married next, dear Frodo, as you're the oldest. Do you think you could find someone by next spring or is that too near?"

Frodo laughed, but didn't reply. He turned his gaze to the right where the road bent around a slope where the Battle of Bywater took place. He fell silent as he thought of all the hobbits and men who had fallen there. The others followed his gaze and fell silent as well.

After a while, Pippin shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "We ought to build a memorial here. A garden or something. To remember folk by, but also to make it less gloomy. It used to be beautiful here, remember Merry? Wasn't this where we stopped to pick blackberries on the way to one of Bilbo's birthday's all those years ago?"

Merry nodded, lost in thought.

"There aren't any blackberries now," Sam said with a frown. "Nor any berries that I can see. But we'll plant some as a start. I put a few seeds up on that hill there so hopefully something good will come of them."

"It certainly will," Merry said. "To think, we'll have elven trees here in the Shire! Just wait until spring—after this mess is fixed up, the land will be far more beautiful than ever."

"I sure do hope so, Master Merry," said Sam.

Frodo nodded his agreement and rode forward in silence.

The four reached the Three Farthing stone about midday. They dismounted their ponies and stood around it while Sam retrieved the box with the last precious seeds. A cool wind was rising, rocking the branches in great waves. The grass bowed beneath their feet, creating a golden carpet.

Sam opened the box with great care. The others waited patiently as he stared fondly at the contents. It seemed a long while he stood there, entranced, before he flipped the box and patted the back until every last seed lay cupped in his palm. Then, in one swift motion, he cast them into the air and watched as they scattered in the wind.

Merry and Pippin cheered. Frodo smiled, clapping along with them. Despite all that had happened, they had indeed survived, all four of them. Merry was right, the Shire would heal and blossom stronger than ever. Flowers would sprout from the barren fields and vines would cover the felled trees and scarred trenches. It would be different, but just as beautiful.

He watched his cousins step forward and clasp Sam on the back, glad to know this new Shire would be their home. Though the darkness was over, their quest wasn't finished, not quite yet. The Shire might be safe for the time being but it still needed tending to. He would see it through a while longer, ensuring it healed as best it could. And maybe, just maybe, he would heal along with it.